With the power outage yesterday, I found myself with ample time to sit and read all of Stephen Hawking’s A Briefer History of Time. This is a great follow-up to the previous versions and his other works. Without a doubt, Hawking does the best job of translating complex physics into language any non-scientist can understand. I generally like the more challenging scientific papers and books that do not shield the reader from the hard science and math, but he is my personal hero and I will happily consume anything he writes. In this case, it is well worth it.
A Briefer History of Time covers many topics at the forefront of current scientific investigation. In that way for which Hawking is known, it is presented in common language and includes many examples tied to easily understood concepts. This edition narrows the focus of his previous works and delves into greater depths where possible. It also includes recent findings from quantum and relative studies.
I cannot recommend this book enough, especially for many people who hear of such science but have no first-hand experience with it, let alone an opportunity to see it explained by the most brilliant man of our time. He ably answers questions burning at the edges of the world’s collective consciousness.
Is it true that the universe is expanding at an ever-increasing rate of speed?
Where did the universe come from?
Why does time pass more slowly at the foot of a mountain than it does at its peak?
Is time travel possible, especially beyond what is allowed by Einstein’s general relativity?
How close are we to having a quantum theory of gravity, and why is it so important?
Why does physics say that cause and effect need not occur in that order, at least from the perspective of the observer?
What are wormholes and how do they work?
I could go on, but you get the point. All of these questions and more are addressed in this latest offering to the general public. Told with his usual wit and charm, you will find A Briefer History of Time to be as educational as it is insightful.